


The Old Lie

by TheSofterGentlerMe



Series: The Long Shadow of Our Pasts [7]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Anxiety, F/F, F/M, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, Waiting, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28630374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSofterGentlerMe/pseuds/TheSofterGentlerMe
Summary: All of the group are waiting in their safe room under Bright Moon, as they try to figure out how to find Shadow Weaver and defeat her.
Relationships: Adora & Catra & Finn | Adora/Catra Child (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Glimbow - Relationship, catradora - Relationship
Series: The Long Shadow of Our Pasts [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088336
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	The Old Lie

**Author's Note:**

> Shall we?

“Mother, I’m  _ bored, _ ” Finn said, kicking their feet at the table they were sitting at just outside the safe room they’d been in for three days now as Catra looked up from where she was trying to draw. 

“I know, kiddo,” Catra said as she gave them a little smile. “You told me the same thing about two minutes ago.” 

“Well I was bored two minutes ago too!” Finn said as they crossed their arms and gave a huge sigh. 

Two squads of Bright Moon guards were standing around the larger room and Catra could tell they were bored too and she knew that wasn’t good. Since Shadow Weaver had disappeared a few days before, nothing else had happened. All had been quiet and the heightened alert was starting to wear on everyone. 

_ She knows this and she’s doing it on purpose,  _ Catra thought to herself. 

“Well, kiddo, the guards got your classwork for you to do,” Catra said, nodding at a stack of books.

“Done it,” Finn said, in a bored monotone. 

“Play some cards with me?” Catra said. 

“Done it,” Finn said, rolling their eyes. 

Catra’s tail flicked a little as she tried to hide a grin as she thought,  _ They’re going to be fun as a teenager. _

“Want me to find you some paper and you can write?” Catra said. 

“Ugh,  _ done it, Mother,”  _ Finn said. “When is everyone going to be back?” 

Catra looked towards the door. Adora and Glimmer had left a few hours earlier to have a discussion in another part of the archive with Castaspella, General Elity, and the other princesses were joining remotely courtesy of a teleconference rig Entrapta had created years before. Catra had been invited along but had declined so Finn wouldn’t be left alone. Bow had actually gone all the way up into the castle itself to handle some royalty thing Catra hadn’t cared to find out about. 

“I don’t know. They’re in that conference and those things can last forever,” Catra said. 

Finn slowly slid out of their chair and onto the ground while making a noise that sounded something like, “Uuuuuuuuuggggggggghhhhhhhhh!” 

Catra looked under the table to where Finn lay like a puddle on the floor and said, “Stop imitating your Aunt Mista.”

Finn didn’t say anything but just made vague flopping movements on the floor. Catra laughed and then a thought flashed in her head and the laughter stopped as she said, “Hey, get up. I have an idea if you want to learn something.”

Finn looked over at her, their ears twitching, and said, “Mother, I can’t. I’m so bored, I’m part of the floor now. I’m Floor Finn.” 

“You sure, Floor Finn? I was thinking I’d show you how to fight like you keep asking me,” Catra said. 

Finn sat up and said, “Really!? You always said you didn’t want to!” 

Catra thought over the last few days and said, “Well, yeah, I did and I’m still not real thrilled about it but I figured if you still want to, you’re old enough to know how.” 

Finn bounced up and said, “I do! Let’s go! Come on!” 

Catra said, “Alright, go put on a t-shirt and shorts and we’ll get going.”

Finn ran back into their safe room as Catra looked around the room. It’d been filled with bookshelves when they’d first come through but the day after the attack, all of them had been cleared out so they’d have a little bit of open space to stretch in. Now there were just a few folding tables and chairs around the room and a coffee pot and tea kettle for the guards in the corner that were rarely empty. 

“Hey, uh, it’s Eridanus, right?” Catra said as she turned to one of the guards close to her.

The guard stepped forward and said, “It is, Princess Catra.”

“Could you help me clear a spot about ten feet wide in the center of the room here?” Catra said as she started to pick up a chair. 

“We can do that for you,” she said as she leaned her halberd against the wall. 

“So can I, I just need a hand,” Catra said.

The guard nodded and the two quickly cleared a spot and the guard went back to her post as Finn came bouncing out of the safe room. 

“Whatta I learn  _ first!?”  _ Finn said in excitement. 

Catra waved them over to her. When they stood in front of her, she put her hand on Finn’s shoulder and said, “Finn, I always said I didn’t want to show you this stuff because I really wished you’d be able to live a life where you didn’t ever have to know it. I still don’t want to but it seems I don’t get my wish so I want you to listen close. This isn’t like what you see actors on the stage do when they fight. This isn’t a few kids tussling outside. This is very serious. I don’t ever want to hear that you used what I’m going to show you for something other than the gravest of circumstances. Do you understand me?”

Finn’s face had gone from excitement to stillness as they listened to Catra. 

“Yes, I do,” Finn said solemnly. 

Catra sighed and looked up at the ceiling for a moment and then said, “Alright, first lesson. How to fall.” 

They spent an hour tumbling around the ground as Catra began to show Finn not only how to fall but other little tricks. Then, Eridanus stepped up and said, “Excuse me, Princess Catra?” 

Catra looked at her as she straightened up out of a wrist lock Finn thought they’d done perfectly as she said, “What’s up?”

“Hey!” Finn said, irritated at the ease she got out.

“I told you that you didn’t have the grip right,” Catra said, ruffling their fur. They stuck their tongue out at her as Eridanus continued on. 

“I hate to intrude and I know you’re really good at what you’re teaching but I can’t help but tell you were trained in the Horde,” she said. “If you give permission, when I go off duty I’d like to help you and show them some of the Bright Moon guard’s training regime as well.” 

Catra nodded along and said, “I guess it can’t hurt. Give us something to do at least.”

Finn’s eyes lit up and Catra turned to them and said, “Hey, I know we’ve been having fun but what did I tell you earlier?” 

Finn’s ears flattened out a little as they said, “That this is serious and I should take it seriously.” 

Catra gripped Finn’s shoulder and said, “Yep, that. Just keep it in mind.” 

Finn nodded and then suddenly grabbed Catra’s wrist on their shoulder and twisted it into the lock. Catra grinned and said, “There you go! Like that! Now let me show you how to turn that into a throw.”

In the late afternoon, Finn, Catra, and Eridanus lay on the floor looking at the ceiling. Eridanus had gone off duty and after a brief lunch had ditched her guard robes for the loose trunks and tank top the guards wore under them. She’d started helping out, with some of the still on duty guards tossing out a little advice every once in a while. 

“Mother,” Finn said, after taking a deep breath.

“Yeah?” Catra had said. 

“Is a real fight this tiring?” Finn said.

“Even more so. Good reason to avoid them,” Catra said. 

Finn nodded. As they all three took a deep breath there was a knock at the outer door. Catra’s head came up to look. She knew that it was highly unlikely that any threat would get through but it was hard to tell her nerves that and have them listen. As she watched, one of the guards opened the door and she held her breath, waiting. 

A courier handed through an envelope and the guard thanked them and closed the door. Catra let out her breath as the guard said, “Princess Catra, this just arrived for you.” 

Catra flipped up off her back to her feet and Finn said in awe from the floor, “Show me how to do that!” 

“In a minute, kiddo,” Catra said as she stepped over and took the large envelope. She looked down to see her and Adora’s names written on it and her blood ran with ice at the handwriting. 

She snapped her head up and said, “Don’t let that courier out of the archive!” 

The guards didn’t hesitate and a squad went out the door immediately. Finn scrambled to their feet, fear across their face as Eridanus put herself between Finn and the door. Catra turned around and said, “Finn, go into the safe room and shut the door. Do not come out. Adora or I will come get you. If anyone else comes in, and I mean  _ anyone else _ , you run. Do you understand?” 

Finn nodded and ran into the room and shut the door. Eridanus had already picked up her halberd and put her back directly against the safe room door as the remaining squad in the room crowded around her. 

“Thank you,” Catra said and the group gave a short nod back. She looked down at Shadow Weaver’s handwriting again and her hand shook just a little. She wanted to immediately open it but she held back. She had no idea if Shadow Weaver could pull any tricks with paper but she certainly didn’t want to find out the hard way. It was only a minute before there was a knock at the door and one of the guards peeled off from the pack at the safe room and went over to open it. There was a brief conversation and then the guard turned to Catra.

“The courier is here,” the guard said. “We’ve had them double checked with one of the sorcerers that came from Mystacor with Castaspella. It’s them. 

“Ok. I’m going to step out. You stand outside that door and let me back in,” Catra said as she walked forward. The guard nodded her head and followed Catra out the door.

The main room on that level was right outside the door and it was even more cluttered than usual with statutes, artwork, and documents. Catra shuddered a little at all the little hiding spots she could see around the room. In an area cleared around the door, the courier stood, looking a little scared. Then she saw Catra and went from a little scared to just scared.

“You’re not in trouble. Please, take a deep breath. I have a few questions,” Catra said before turning to some of the guards standing in the room. “Could someone get them a chair please and see if we can scare up something for them to drink as well.”

The courier was soon seated with some tea and Catra knelt down and started asking questions about the envelope. Meanwhile, back in the safe room, Finn sat on the edge of a cot, looking at the door while they clutched at their stuffed whale. They’d felt so good for a little while as they’d trained with their mother but in an instant that had gone away and they were scared again waiting to see what would happen. It was thirty long minutes later that Catra came in through the door and Finn looked up and launched themself at her. She caught them up in a tight hug.

“Sorry about that, kiddo. That letter is from her and I had to be sure it wasn’t a trick to get through,” she whispered to them. “Are you ok?” 

Finn nodded quickly, sniffling a little as their eyes filled a little in relief. Catra stroked the back of their head as it lay on her shoulder and said, “I’ve talked with Mom and she’s going to try and be here in just a few. We can go back to training while we wait if you want.” 

Finn shook their head and said, “No, I think I’m done with that for today.” 

Catra smiled and said, “You’re not bored with it are you?” 

Finn pulled their head back off her shoulder. 

“Um, no,” Finn said, a little bit of their relaxed self coming out. 

“Just checking,” Catra said, trying to keep the smile on her face. “While we wait on Mom, it’s your turn to decide on what we have for dinner tonight. Can you do that?” 

Finn nodded and they both walked out of the safe room to sit back down. Ten minutes later Adora walked in with her face full of anger with Glimmer coming in right behind looking exhausted. Bow followed just a minute later and they all sat down around the table with Finn sitting on Adora’s knee. The envelope sat in the center of the table as they all looked at it. It was a simple brown envelope with black ink for the writing but everyone felt dread looking at it. 

“We ran it past the sorcerers, right?” Bow said. 

“The courier said they did,” Catra said. 

Glimmer said, “That answer doesn’t fill me with confidence.” 

“Should we open it in here?” Adora said. 

“I think we’re overreacting. It’s just an envelope. There might not even be anything in it,” Catra said. “Maybe it’s even an apology letter.” 

The joke hit the floor with a thud and everyone just looked at her as Catra shifted a little in her chair. 

“Sorry, just trying… yeah, sorry,” Catra said. 

“It’s alright. Just not great timing there,” Glimmer said as she leaned in towards the envelope. 

She passed her hand with a spell in it over the letter. Bow found that he was holding his breath as she brought her hand back and said, “Uh, yeah, it looks like it’s just a piece of paper.” 

Adora reached forward and pulled it to her, then looked at Finn and said, “Honey, I want you to go into the safe room please.” 

“Mom…,” Finn said. 

“Just for a few minutes,” Adora said. “I just want to be sure, ok?” 

Finn sighed and nodded and after the door shut, Adora slit the envelope open. This time, the whole table held their breath as she carefully looked inside. 

“It’s just a single piece of paper,” she said, moving the envelope trying to see the inside. 

“What’s it say?” Catra said, her tail furiously twitching.

Adora looked up at her and said, “At least give me a chance to get it out of the envelope.”

Catra made a little hurry up gesture with her hand and Adora carefully reached in with two fingers and pulled it out. Nothing happened as she looked at the neat handwriting of Shadow Weaver on the paper. She began to read it out loud. 

_ My dear Adora and Catra,  _

_ It could have been simple but you wouldn’t allow it to be simple. When I’m raising Finn, I will be sure that they have better manners and obedience instilled in them than either of you have given them. Catra I wouldn’t expect to instill proper obedience but Adora, I would have expected you to at least rein her in and raise a proper child. However, it’s become obvious that you’ve both failed as parents and as such, when I am raising Finn you will not be a part of their life. I love each of you but you’re both obviously corrupting influences. Finn deserves so much better than either of you can or have given them. Therefore, I will not be allowing you to see them once they are in my care.  _

_ With that said, I’m sure you’re showing your usual histrionics and melodramatic declarations about how this won’t happen. It will. I’ve watched your little theater you’ve put on at the castle over the last few days with some amusement. As I said when we had our talk the other day, I went into Bright Moon with no problem, I left it with no problem, and I’ll be able to do the same again when I like. Say whatever good-byes you feel are appropriate to Finn and prepare them for my coming when I’ll take them to their new home. Don’t worry, I’m not cruel. I won’t make you wait long. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Shadow Weaver _

**Author's Note:**

> On the letter, it originally started “Adora and Catra,” and then went on. Right before I posted it, I gave it one last look over and thought, “You know, this needs a little something more. What would just sound evil in the perfect Shadow Weaver way? Oh yeah! ‘My dear Adora and Catra’!” It also fits into the title in that it refers to the old lie in the letter, that Shadow Weaver loves them. 
> 
> I also wanted to say that I've been loving everyone's comment on these. You're really enjoying these as much as I'm enjoying writing them I think! Thank you!


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